Metallic post or base for fences



(No Model.)

O. M. KNOX. MBTALLIG POST 0R BASE FOR muons.

No. 486,973. Patented Nov. 29,1892.

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ORVILLE M. KNOX, OF ONEIDA, NEW YORK.

METALLIC POST OR BASE FOR FENCES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 486,973, dated November29, 1892.

- Application filed June 30, 1892- Serial No. 438,604. (No model.)

.To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ORVILLE M. KNOX, a citizen of theUnited States,residing at Oneida, in the county of Madison and State of New York,haveinvented a new and useful Metallic Post and Base for Fences, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to a novel and useful construction of fence-postsand base portion or foot-piece for the same, and particularly refers tothe formation and construction of the latter.

My invention has for its object to meet all the requirements ofstrength, durability, and inexpensiveness, and for the attainment ofsuch objects comprises certain details of construction, arrangement, andcombination of parts, all of which will be more fully describedhereinafter, and the specific points of novelty in which will be pointedout in the appended claim.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective viewshowing the post in its socket in the foot-piece. Fig. 2 is a transversevertical section. Fig. 3 is a top plan View.

Like letters of reference indicate like'or corresponding parts in theseveral views of the drawings.

A indicates the post, and B the base or footpiece. The latter is formedin one piece, of metal, and comprises the spear-point a, having theradial projecting webs 1) extending outwardly at right angles to eachother and tapering downwardly, converging together at the lower end ofthe foot-piece, forming the spear-point.

0 indicates an inverted solid cone-shaped, portion formed integral withthe spear-point a, and having its circular plane or top forming theupper face of the foot-piece B and constituting the support for the postA, which is inserted therein through a rectangular socket d of therequisite size and depth to accommodate the said post A. The bottom ofthis recess communicates with the exterior by means of four smallperforations to, ap-

proximately at the point of the cone and run-- ning severally from thebottom of the recess or socket through the wall and communicating withthe angular channels formed by the radially-projecting Webs of thespearrpoint.

in alignment with the perforationsf.

The postA is of suitable material and shape and is provided with aseries of perforations g g, arranged vertically at relative andprescribed distances apart and severally designed to permit theinsertion of staples h h, which are rigidly held and clinched therein inthe manner shown in Fig. 1, serving as retaining-eyes for thelongitudinal wires i 2', forming the wire panels of the fence.

As shown clearlyin Figs. 1 and 3, J J indicate four radially-projectingwings or breasters formed integral with and extending at right angles toeach other from the cone portion 0 in the same vertical plane as thewebs b of the spear-point a and having their upper edges in the samehorizontal plane with the face of the portion 0. The width or depth ofeach wing J is approximately equal to the altitude or axis of the cone0, and the lower edge of each wing J is beveled on both sides, thusmaking a knife-edge on the lower edge of each wing, while its outer sideor face, which comes laterally in contact with the surrounding earth, israther broad or blunt. Thus it will be understood that when thefoot-piece B is driven into the ground the spear-point aand the lowerknife-edges of the wings J will facilitate the descent of the saidfoot-piece, while the lateral extremities of said wings will serve toimpact the earth on each side of the footpiece and, furthermore, willwhen in position severally act as breasters to prevent the lateraltipping, sagging, or displacement of the said foot-piece, andconsequently of the fence.

Allthe several component parts of the footpiece B are made of onepieceof metal, and the whole is designed to be driven into the ground, thecone portion 0 acting as a drivingsurface, while the wings J J serve tofirmly embed the base in the surrounding soil.

Having thus described my invention, what 7 I claim is- Theherein-describedfoot-piece for fenceposts,'the same formed of one pieceof metal outer edges squared and their lower edges and consisting of theinverted cone-shaped beveled to form cutting-shoulders, substanbodyportion having a post-receiving socket tially as specified.

5 to form drainage-openings, the four-winged my own I have heretoaffixed my signature in spear-point at the lower end of the body porthepresence of two witnesses. tion, whose edges are tapered toward thelower extremity thereof and are square, and ORVILLE M. KNOX. the radialwings J, extending from the body Witnesses: 1o portion above thespear-point and in line with .TNO. F. RYAN,

the Wings thereof, said'wings J having their THOS. A. DEVEREUX.

in its upper side, Whose bottom is perforated In testimony that I claimthe foregoing as 15

